The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-08-25
GRAND-AUNT GARRAWAY,

"To my Grand-aunt Garraway's!" |" said
Phoebe, bursting into tears. up in the
Catskills, where one never hears anything
but tree toads and whippoorwills, and
the grass grows in the middle of the
road, and there isn't . wagon goes past,
unless you count the hsy-carts and the
daily stage"
Horrible p said Miss Parks, the sew
ing-woman.
"pd as soon be buried alive |" sobbed
Phoebe.
81 never heard anything so cruel in all
my life!'' said Jemima, the maid.of:all-
work. "Not even in the last number of
,Ferdinetta the Forsaken.' where the poor
heroine is forbidden to"
"Do hold your tongue, Jemima, and
get about your work!'' said Phoebe,
sharply. "Who asked you to interfere !?
Mamma will be very angry when she
comes in and finds the parlors are not
done up."
And Jemima skunk away rather dis
com6ted.
Pm sure 'Ferdinetta the Fcrsaken
neverwould have spoken to a poor help
that way" thought she, with a sniff.
"Miss Phoebe can't be real heroine %
While Miss Parks remained to console
pretty Phoebe Tacson as she helped to
pack the trunks which were to be sent to
Grand-aunt Garraway's by express.
"And Pm not even 10 be allowed to
bid him good-byr' walled the forlorn
| young damsel. "Oh, don't see how
mamma can be so hard-Eearted !"
| sis he very handsome?" said Miss
| Parks, whose life had not known many
love affairs.
Phoebe, enthusiastically.
"Dear, dear! !" SAID Miss Parks, with q
vague idea of black velvet, a guitar and
white-satin sleeve-linings.
"With melancholy eyes, and a NOUS
tache as black as ink" said Phoebe. "Oh,
don't put my collars in the same tray
with the French heeled boots, please p
"And what is his business ?" said Miss
Parks.
He is here on private embassy for
the Russian Government" said Phoebe,
proudly. But that's just what mamma
won't believe. He says he cannot di-
vulge his identity without betraying bis
trust. AS soon as his mission ia over, he
says he will produce the most satisfactory
explanations; but mamma actually be-
lieves him to be an impostor ~
"Oh, DEAR" said Miss Parks
"You see mamma isn't physiogno-
MIST" said Phoebe, "or she would read
truth plainly inscribed upon his noble
brow. The checked summer silks next,
Miss Park, though 1 don't know what use
| checked summer silks will be to me at
Grand-aunt Garraway's."
" But you can write to him every day,
DEAR" soothed Miss Parks.
"They will intercept the letters" sigh
ed Phoebe.
"Never mind" said Miss Parks, fold
ing up An India foulard poonaise, "the
torch of love will burn all the brighter
for few brief Instructions"
"What dear, comforting creature you
are % said Phebe, STOPPING to kiss Miss
Parks's knobby forehead.
| too, have passed through the fiery
ordeal" sighed Miss Parks, returning the
caress, as she packed colegne-hottle and
travelling inkstand into the muffiing folds
of red Shetland shawl
So Phoebe Tacson was sent to Grand
aunt Garraway's, at the foot of High
Peak, to get her out of the way of Mr.
Middleton De Motto.
She was little disappointed that the
snug Queen Anne cottage was not more
dungeon-like, and that the solitary noun
tain-path turned out to be a welltraveled
turnpike. She had made up her mind to
thorough martyrdom; and Mrs. Cara
way, instead of being a hook-nosed old
crone, with gold-headed cane and a tenn
per, was cheerful old lady, whose cheeks
were tinted with fresh bloom, like win
ter-apple, and who wore black silk dress
with lace ruffles.
The parlor floor was covered with a
real Turkey rug there was cabinet Of
| old china in tie corner; little maid in
aunt Garraway's jewel-case was marvel
to behold.
The old lady had travelled in Europe,
read all the newest books, and drove a
little basket-ph@ton with fat, dappled
pony, and, to Phebe's surprise, she was
eminently sympathetic.
Dear aunty," said the girl, 81 never
dreamed you were as nice as this %
"Well, my DEAR" said Grand-aunt
Garraway, have been young myself,
and don't believe in putting too much
constraint upon the heart here Phoebe
jumped up and kissed her)-"so when l
got your mothers letter thought the
whole matter over. If you really believe
you can't live without this young man"
darling auntyw faltercd Phoebe,
"may tell you secret?''
"Confide entirely in me, my child"
said Grand-aunty Garraway, patting her
cheek. "Well, then, he met me under
the apple trees last night" confessed
Phoebe, "by the light of the moon!''
"You've written to him, then ?" said
Grand-aunt Garraway, with a shrewd
twinkle in her hazel eyes.
"Y-yes," owned Phoebe. 81 told him
it was unlike anything that had antici-
pated. I described your pretty furniture
and choice china, and the solid silver tea
service, with the Garraway monogram on
it, and your set of amethysts, and be came
on by the earliest train"
"Oh, he did ?" said Grand-aunt Gar
raway.
"He said he was hungering and thirst
ing for one OF my sweet glances," added
Phoebe, blushing very prettily. "And be
slept on the hay in the barn last night"
My dear child, this will never do!'
pronounced Grand-aunt Garraway. "He
must come here 70
Here, apnt?"